Mansard Monday ~ Savannah’s Magnolia Hall at dusk. Second Empire style Magnolia Hall was designed by New York architect Abraham J. Snedeker for cotton dealer Jacob Guerard Heyward and built in 1878. The elaborate double gallery facade with slate Mansard roof overlooks Forsyth Park.
Following Heyward’s death, the house was used as a boarding house. Pulitzer Prize-winning poet laureate Conrad Aiken was born in the house in 1889. In 1984, it was transformed into an inn. Novelist John Berendt resided here while writing the bestseller “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.”
The Mansard roof form that turns an Italianate style house into a Second Empire style house comes from France and was typically called a “French roof” during the 19th century – when all things Parisian were in vogue.
Understanding the style of a house will help you know which features are character-defining so you can prioritize their preservation.
Second Empire is one of 25 historic architectural styles described and illustrated in Chapter 2 of “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/ and through the shop on this page.
Our shop also carries select restoration/preservation titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
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